Borbaad Movie Review

Aafter hatke films like Proloy or Kanamachi, this run-of-the-mill film seems like a step back for Raj.

What's wrong with Raj Chakrabarty? Yes, the filmmaker is known for his remakes of south Indian flicks. But, till date, those have worked wonders for him because Raj has the ability to give the story a local twist, turning the films into much more than just remakes (remember Le Chakka and Bojhena Shey Bojhena?). He also has a yen for picking the right cast. In Borbaad though, this Raj Chakrabarty signature is missing and all you see is just a south remake.

Borbaad: All you need to know

The basic problem is Raj’s choice of protagonists. Bonny, the hero, is neither good looking nor has the charisma or physique to pull off a lead role. Actually, he's not much of a hero at all. What he has is a charming innocence and an air of vulnerability. He tries to make up for his feeble screen presence by adapting a comic persona which is quite irritating. But then, this is just his first film and he can be given the benefit of doubt.
However, one can't make any such concessions for Bonny's love interest, Ritika (how could Raj have ‘introduced’ her along with Bonny, when she has already done a film called Masoom?). She tries to sail through the film with the same air of innocence, but fails miserably. The ensemble cast, except Bonny’s parents, are always high-strung and melodramatic. But, Sudip Mukherjee as Akram Md Khan, the ruthless don blind in his love for his evil brother, stands out with his performance.

Also Read: Rittika, Bony and Mainak at Borbaad's music launch
The director’s heart, somehow, is not in the storytelling. May be that’s why he wastes too much time building up a love story between two people who don't have any chemistry, or making them dance around the world with inane and unnecessary songs. Violence plays a major part in the film. But anybody with some exposure to south films won’t find them special. To sum it up, after hatke films like Proloy or Kanamachi, this run-of-the-mill film seems like a step back for Raj.